Rash driving: 37-yr-old woman gets Rs 5 lakh

A 37-year-old woman, who suffered grievous injuries after being hit by a rashly and negligently driven motorcycle, has been awarded compensation of over Rs. 5 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in New Delhi.

The tribunal directed the National Insurance Company Ltd, insurer of the offending motorcycle, to pay Rs. 5,36,127 to Laxmi Nagar resident Sabita Haldar, who suffered injuries in the mishap in September 2013.

“The insurance company is hereby directed to pay the compensation of Rs. 5,36,127 within one month to the claimant (woman),” said MACT presiding officer, Ravinder Bedi.

In its order, the tribunal also said that “a victim of an accident has to be compensated in terms of money even if gratuitous services are rendered by a family member”.

According to the petition filed by Ms Haldar, she was hit by a motorcycle driven at high speed and in a negligent manner at 9.30 PM on September 26, 2013, while she was crossing the road.

She suffered grievous injuries in the accident and was taken to a hospital, it said.

Ms Haldar, who was working as a maid, had claimed that she had suffered multiple fracture of bones of her right limbs and sought compensation.

The motorcycle driver did not file his written statement before the tribunal and the proceedings were conducted ex-parte.